The Lines That Divide Us
by CC the Bug
Summary: "The Traits that divide us aren't what keep us apart, it's the mind set."


**A/N: So, yeah, I hope that *the few* of you who are actually reading this are okay with this idea. It's an original-sort-of-thing, but with Pokemon references and such. I hope you enjoy it(:**

**I hope you like the idea at least.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon in any way.**

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**INTERVAL ONE: RHYS**

I splashed through the puddles on the cobblestone as I ran, accidentally splashing on people in the crowd, earning deep scowls. I checked my watch, it read: 12:15. _Crap, _I thought to myself, running faster_. _Lux was right, the odds are never stacked in my favor. Today, I have a high paying customer who need their supplies delivered promptly at twelve, and I'm late. Go figure.

_Come on Birdy, _I heard her voice echo in my mind teasingly, _Just because you can't fly doesn't mean you can't run._

_Shut up._

I was at the shop by 12:30, as I knocked on the door I clutched my satchel, hoping nothing had fallen out. I gulped when I heard the locks click and when the door swung open I could feel my heart racing, revealing a girl with dark hair in a thick braid laid over her shoulder with green paint smeared across her cheek. "What can I do for you?" she asked sweetly but timidly.

"I-I'm here to make a delivery for, uh," I stuttered stupidly, "Miss Caoimhe Solonge." I could feel my face redden with embarrassment. I handed her the receipt to sign and tried my best to hide my embarrassment.

As she signed she gave a light giggle that didn't really helped my dwindling self confidence, "I'm sorry," she apologized sincerely before saying, "This way, my mistress has been waiting for you."

I nodded, following the girl into the shop, the smell of vanilla and paint hit me in a wave as I walked through the aisles of art supplies and into the back where the art studio lay. A large room with tall, long windows on making up the entire left wall, exposing the gloom of the town. A gaunt woman with dark hair braided around her head and piercing green eyes sat on the other side of an isle, from her expression I could see that she wasn't satisfied with the outcome of her painting. After a long silence she looked up, as if she just noticed us, and scowled.

"You are late, young man," she said accusingly stern, "You were supposed to be here half an hour ago."

"I'm sorry, ma'am," I apologized. I opened my satchel and pulled out her order, wrapped in brown paper with white string. It was heavy in my hands and had been a large burden coming here, I was relieved getting rid of it.

She took it quickly, giving me a quick glare when we met eyes. "Luca," she said as she walked over to her isle, waving her hand dismissively, "Show this, _boy _to the door." She wasn't trying to hide the disgust in her voice.

The girl who answered the door for me nodded and said, "Yes, Miss Solonge."

She gently closed the studio doors behind us, she turned to me with a shy smile, "I apologize for my Mistress's behavior."

"It's quite alright," I said giving my own small smile. I noticed what she was wearing, a gray ruffled skirt that reached above her ankles, a loose white blouse, and a smock smeared with paint. "Are you her apprentice?"

She nodded, blushing, "Yes, since I was a young child. Now I'm fourteen and she's only hardened."

I chortled lightly, "More? I find that hard to believe."

It felt good to share a laugh with her, after a long stressful day it was a nice release. Though to my disappointment that small release diminished as quickly as it began, and reality weighed on my shoulders once again.

I stepped through the door, and looked back at her, the warm colors of the shop reflected off her caramel tinted eyes.

"What is your name?" Luca asked, as if it just occurred to her.

"Rhys," I answered, "Rhys Pellin."

"It was a pleasure to meet you Rhys," she said starting to close the door, "Have a good day."

The door closed and I whispered, "Good day to you too, Luca."

I'd only walked a block, on my way to my next delivery, when pulled me back by my jacket collar and turned me around. To my disappointment it was Chief Archibald Orson, the bear faced officer with a scowl as deep as a canyon. His dark brown uniform looked neatly pressed, his gold badge glinted in the sunlight. "Just a minute there, Birdy," he chuckled jabbing a large finger at me, "And what are we up to today?"

I sighed, "Nothing, Chief Orson. I'm just making deliveries, and I'm going to be late _again_, thanks to you."

Orson chortled loudly, "You'd be late anyway!" He walked in circles around me, he ran his large hands through his short brown hair before he said, "My daughter is still holding quite a grudge on you."

I rolled my eyes, "Her again? I thought she was over that, isn't she arrange with some other fellow by now? I mean, it's been a month ever since-"

Orson smirked, "Yes, quite happy, happier than she was with-"

"I have to go," I interrupted, not wanting to continue this discussion, "Send Theodora my greetings." I didn't want to think, let alone talk, about Teddy right now.

Before he could stop me I bolted down the sidewalk, apologizing when I ran into someone or catching myself when I slid in the puddles. When I thought I was far enough I slowed down to check my next destination. To my dismay, it was the power plant, where Lux was working and where I'd be mocked to no end for being late. I cursed whoever had stolen my bicycle as I ran down the sidewalk, turning corners, and splashing through puddles. I didn't dare ride in the carriage, it was too slow and too expensive.

I waited for the buzz that would tell me they'd unlocked the door, once it did I opened the door and walked to the front desk, where a wiry man with thinning brown hair sat with his feet on the table. He nodded me towards the office door on my right before I could even say a word.

I gently knocked on the door, earning a booming voice say, "_Come in! If that's the delivery boy I'm gonna-"_

I gulped, and slid the door open, stepping inside I saw a large, round man with a near red face scribbling something on a piece of paper. He looked up to reveal angry beady eyes, "Well, it's about time!"

Lux appeared from the corner, her blonde hair pulled back in a bandanna and her electric blue eyes sparking with amusement at my misery. She walked over across the room and took the box from me, she whispered, "I knew you'd be late, Birdy."

The red faced man shooed me away after begrudgingly signing the receipts, cursing me for being late. I could hear Lux snickering even from outside.

I rolled my eyes._ Two rude customers, a chewing-out courtesy of Orson, and my best friend can't even have a little faith in me_, I thought, _Well, wasn't this a great day._

When I reached the office the street lights were lit, I slid into the room with my eyes downcast, earning a worried glance from my mentor, Thelonius Alfie. He was a slightly large man with white hair and neatly trimmed beard. He had a smile that could just melt a heart like ice and make it as warm as a gentle fire. Alfie had always been like a father to me, showing me through the steps and guiding me when I was lost.

"What's wrong little one?" he asked me as I placed the receipts into our files.

"Rough day," I answered simply. I didn't need to go into detail with Alfie, he understood.

"Well, the life of a delivery bird is a tough one," he said fixing the receipts into a neat stack. "Especially here in our small port town, and because it's small, people think we can run from end to end with time to spare, but that's just the people's mind set. You can't change that, only accept it with an apologetic smile."

I nodded, we've had this discussion on multiple occasions but this time it felt special.

"Thanks Alfie," I said smiling.

"You're welcome Birdy," he said chuckling, gently ruffling my hair.

On my way upstairs to the small apartment above the office I looked back at Alfie, the warm orange light of the office made shadows across his face, reflecting off his frosty whiskers and showing off his warm smile. He's always been my teacher, but most of all my friend.

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**A/N: I'm sorry this was so short and pointless, but the plot will commence when all the main characters are introduced. . **

**Can you guess the Pokemon the characters are based off of? I think I was pretty fair with my hints in the story, but because I'm nice I'll tell you them for each character.**

**Rhys:**

**-People call him "Birdy."  
-He's a messenger boy.  
****-He lives in a Port Town.  
-His name means the opposite of his trait.**

**Luca:**

**-She's a painter's apprentice.  
-She has green paint on her.  
-She's shy.**

**Orson:  
-He's large and "bear-like."  
-He has a daughter named Teddy.  
-He's always very angry.  
-His name means exactly what he is.**

**Lux:  
-Her eye color and hair color are reversed.  
-She works in a power plant.  
-Her name means "light."**

**Alfie:**

**-He's Rhys's mentor so if you know Rhys's trait you know Alifie's.**

** Wait! I didn't explain traits did I? **

**Well...in the story it's pretty much like the people possess traits of Pokemon, but Pokemon don't exist...(does that make sense?) A large amount of the population are "Normal", which means they have weak "spirit energy", for example some are healers (Chansey, etc.) And you pretty much keep that traits of your parents unless their's another trait in your ancestry, but it's very unlikely. Important figures like Tribal Chiefs, Kings, and Town/City Mayors have more powerful traits, the higher you are in the class system the higher your "spirit energy" is and the more powerful your trait is. (Do you kind of get it so far, or does it seem confusing?)For example, if you have a Psychic trait then you're going to be a fortune teller(If you're very powerful and very good at displaying accurate fortunes then you may become the King's fortuneteller), or if you're young an apprentice to a fortune teller. Pokemon like, Lugia, Zapdos, Moltrez, and Articuno, are elders, they're immortal because their high spirit energy has kept them alive. Azelf, Mesprit, and Uxie are young powerful fortunetellers. But all of the other Diamond/Pearl Legendary Pokemon are just Legends, many don't believe they exist. And so on...**  
**Any questions?**

**Sorry if it's too complicated, confusing, or you just don't get it. I hope that the story ends up explaining this way better than I could. *SAD FACE***

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


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